Elevator door control mechanism



July 17, 1934. c. E. HAMMELL 1,966,445

ELEVATOR DOOR CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 30, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEIIVTOR. (65447455 5 ZMM'AL BY fZJZM.

ATTORNEY July 17, 1934. c. E. HAMMELL 1,966,445

ELEVATOR DOOR CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July so. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 II 6 Q INVENTOR. 67155 5 5 7/7/75; BY fiwfed/ A TTORNEY July 17, 1934. c. E. HAMMELL 1,966,445

ELEVATOR DOOR CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 30, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

Vi/F455 [KW 7 v O A TTORNEY Patented July 17, I934 ELEvAron noon CONTROL Charles E. Hammell. Red BankfN. J.,v assignor. by mesne assignments, toThe Gurney Elevator Cog, Honesdale, ania" Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl- "Application rhino. lssnserial No. 554,064

1 f9 Claims. (or. 1c --52) My invention relates to door closers and particularly to'closers such as are'usedin the elevator art for hoistway doors and carfdoo'rs' or gates. I

A divisional application has been-filed-April 21, 1934, Serial No. -721,'750-covering= hesubject matter divided out of this applicationi F Closers of theabove noted character are provided with fluid cushioning or checking means to cause the rapidly closing dooror gate to be stopped without impact or slamming and-the cushioning meansis arranged to be regulated by a device suchas for example a needle valve. v ltisnow commonpractice-to construct and arrange such regulating device for-adjustmentfrom outside-thecushioning unit but such arrange ment; as {found from experience, is objectionable because it invitestampering.

Henc'e-one of the features of the present invention-is to provide a closer constructed "and arranged with the regulating means for the cushioning means concealed Wholly'within the closer casing so as to be inaccessible 'by any ine'answhatso'everfrom without, which. arrangement, in order to effect regulatiomnecessita'tes partial disassembl'ement of the closer and tampering is'thu's greatly minimized. 1 i

' Another feature of the invention is to'provide a regulating means of novel construction 'andarrangement which assures'permanency of adjust ment I A further object ofthe invention is to provide a combined closer an'd cushioning mechanism or novel constructionand arrangement to cause a relatively quick start of the door fromiull' open position followed by rapid acceleration to about three-quarter closed position, the arrangement being such that for such relatively'long' door movement there is a relatively short and consequent slow-movement of the piston in the fluid with consequent slight cushioning 'effect" result ing'therefrom, and during the remainder or 'rela-' tively short door movementto fully closed -position there is ajrelatively long and consequent fast piston movement with consequent increased cushioning eifect whichx effectually prevents im-' pact and slamming. v

- Other features will be obvious from the following description'and appended claims. 'Referring now to the drawings,-FigI'f1 is a general elevation illustrating the -closer as applied to a'two speed sliding"'hoistway door, together'with' a switchhaving an interlocking function,- operatively associated therewith; Fig. 2 il-' lustrates 5 the position of parts with the doorin open'p'osition'; Fig. 3 illustrates a sectional elevation of the closer; Fig. 4 illustrates a somewhat enlarged view of-the regulatingvalve; Fig. 5'illustrates an ins't'ru'mentality-used to adjust said valve; Fig. 6 illustrates the relative position of certain parts due to adjustment.

The present doorcloseris applicable for use with either'a single speedor two speed hoistway door. The two speed door mechanism illustrated herein comprises the two door sections 1 and 2, supported in a well .known manner for sliding movement, by suitable hangers 3 mounted upon suitable tracks 4. Y

of the wellknownarrangements of levers may be used as theactuating mechanism for the doors and the present 'type'is shown merely as an example. The actuating mechanism herein illustratedconsists of levers'6, 7' and 8 the lever 6 being pivotally connected at 5 to the door section 1; the intermediate lever 7' being pivotally supported at 11 'by the door section 2, and the lever 8 being pivotally'supported at 12 by a bracket secured to a fixed supporting member 13 which in turnli's' secured to a studding or wall of the elevator hoistway." H

.i' In-accordancewith now common practicea switch mechanism 14 is operatively connected to the lever 8 so that actuation thereof to open and close an electrical interlock car control circuit (not shown) is dependent on movement of the hoistway door. A rod 15 permits adjustment to cause :thesswitch to be open-circuited' before the lever system is actuated sufficiently to unlock the door-sectionsand to be'close-circuited only after. the lever system assumes position to lock the'door-sections in closed position.

The switch mechanism per se forms the subject matter of another patent by applicant Number 1,866,563;dated-July 12, 1932.

' 'A'depending lever 16 attachedto the-lever 7 and having a suitable hand grip 17- permits manual operation'of-the door to open position against the action of the spring actuated closer mechanism designated 18 as a Whole. a

The closer; cushioning mechanism and regulating mechanism comprise apiston '19 disposed within a cylinder 42,. and having a cylindrical shank '20 with:interior' screw' threads 21 engaged by screw threads 22. at thelower end'of a rod 23. Oppositely dispo'sed pins 24'engage the shank and the piston rod to prevent theirrotation relatively to each other; 1

Th'e rod 23 is adjustably connected by a socket 40 :threaded to the 'upper end-of the rod directly to the actuating lever 8 by.apivotal connection 41. It will be particularly noted at this point, that the point of pivotal connection between the rod and lever is concentric with the pivotal support 12 for the lever 8, and is not eccentric thereto as in common practice and furthermore this difierence coupled with that of providing a relatively long range piston movement as by locating. s'aid pivotal connection 41 a suitable" distance from the pivotal point for the lever 8, results when the doors are moving to closed position, in a pie:

ton movement which produces a very desirable and novel cushioning action which Will be referred to more specifically hereinafter, and which is not obtainable in similar devices now c ommonlyl used wherein the point or pi al connection. be; tween the lever and the rodis eccentric with the pivotal support of said lever, and wherein there is only a relatively short range piston movement.

A slot and pin connection 66 with the, slot through the top of the rod 23 for engagement by he. n pr ven un n ended. rota on. e P I e 23- 4 h cy er ea ed. at he bet er; b a Plus h v n a e n r .u ls s a e .6 end. a his 2? at whic poin he e ncl r s ivetal r supported y a bracket 2 secu ed to. e. p orting seated against the plug, 25. is normally inert as. when the piston isseated plate 13.

A ol w y nd an .9 asat its lowe end a screw threaded portion to engage an interior rewth ad d port on 31 the t p ef th cylinder. The rod 23 is guided by the cap at theupper end '71 A vent 3 2. in the. cap, covered. by a felt gasket 33 held in place by a metallic rin 34., seated in the annular face. of; thecap, permits. the pe f air, from within he. y in er. and h felt gasketprevents possible loss oi. liquid from within the cylinder.

According to the present invention, I propose .to employ as a means, to close the, door. 0.1.v doors, through the intermediary fjthe actuating mech: anism heretofore described, two. helical compression springs designated 35, and. 36 The. spring 35 is. a relatiyely long spring. of larger. diameter but. of a smaller. gauge'than the shorter spring 36 and the latter is of the larger gaugeandsmaller diameter than the. spring 35;. Thelongergspring 35 is. interposed between the. top ledgeliifi onthe piston and thebottom face 3l.of,.the cap 29 it being normally under compression with. the. piston The. shorter. spring againstthe-plug. and is seated on the top. face 3.8 of. the shank 2t. Both springs embracethepiston' rod. with the smaller gauge spring. telescopin the l larger, gaugev spring. The pressure. of.- the. spring 35 may be adjusted by rotation oithe. capZQand to facilitate this. operation. the. cap at. its upper end may have a serrated surface.39..

The cylinder 42 is adapted to. be. approximately half filled with liquid such as oil, to, a levelwhich is. indicated by a dot and dash. line, 4.4;.

The lower end of the. rod 23 isiprovided with a fluid chamber 45; the wall offwhichfisproi-v vided with a series of; ports'such as 46.; The. chamber 45 communicates. with a fluid. chamber 4.7. in the shank portion, by wayofn aj'ball check valve 48.. which opens downwardly. and. closes, up.- wardly and apin 49 is provided forsupporting the ball'when'th'e piston is traveling upwardly. HOW? ever when the. piston moves downwardly the check. Valve will close so that the fluid cannot pass through the chamber 45 andports 46, but it can, however, pass through by-jpass. ports. 50 in the. shank portion of the piston 19;. Thejcir: culation of l fluid through the ports. 5.0, is. re:

stricted by an adjustable valve designated as a whole 51 which regulates the size of the openings and in this way the cushioning action is regulated. The valve together with a necessary tool to adjust same are shown in perspective and somewhat enlarged in Figs. 4 and 5 respectively. The adjustable valve is in the form of a hollow" cylindrical member having threads to engage with the interior threads 21 of the pistop. The body of the valve member may be cut away as indicated at 52, 52, thus forming upper. and lower portions connected by the webs 53. I his construction permits the two lower seci 9n tQ be formed with a slight outward flare which by its spring action maintains the valve as a whole in adjusted position.

A specially constructed hand tool, designated 54:; see Fig. 5, is provided to properly adjust the, valve 51 within the piston to regulate the size of the port openings 50. This tool coni ts of a ylindr l me be 55 e rrr ns t o eneth e t ess-b it he. o he end o th mem e pr v d d. with. a fin er a 5 To make the adjustment, the cylindrical por 3. i i fitli lfi thr u h h b tom. 0?; he P1 ton and into-the interior of the valve. with the over-hanging, portions 58 of the crossbar. en ee es t eee ee ot n the. w 9i 3 V Pl 9 W W9 u nser d the e ledge e t e eresseber e s. s ated a a nst. e leds 60.- ef the a v -1 Tberel e a in t rea ed en a ment i h h pi t wil hr rotat on of the tool, be. raisedv or lowered withfrespect to he eer 9 thu ivin a esire de e. of even n e t e. as a e f r m ben e i tes. 9 t e c ind mbe a ve i ton...

The deer a e ed in the us a manner through the intermediaryoi; the actuating. mechani m. b man a p ati ne th ver 6.; W he 19er full. o e p s o t e. a ts as me es t en a ndicat d in Fi 2- h n t elese rs m v ment hedoereempresses thelonger spring 3 5..and subsequent move: men hereo omp es es. h sh r. prin 3 beeeuse. o t. ein eated. a ains t e. ac 6.0 of the cap 29 Withthe doors in full open'position there is then available thecornbined stored; u ene of the. two. spri o. e the. doors u et t clo ed DQSl Q. ..WhenthQ. ?inr s.- ele secl- Fer. t s epen nsm vement r the doors upward movement of the piston is n m eded ince. he. n above. same. has. e i eu atien r m the. cy inde hamber. above. the p ston hr u h, perts i in. the rod; totheine er e hamber in t e. rod, tet e chamber 45-. by waro tt e. ban-table. 4,8, then-throu h the ho ow va ve .1. to e. spa a n.th cyl-inderba low the piston.

At thisp i t it wi -beparticularly noted, that i c he i Qtale ne tionAd betwe n theleuer and the rod: 23. is, concentric withthe'pivqtal upport 12. forsaid-leve ai pivo al pointw l e arriedto. substant ally the h h t. pa nt-Qt the. are. followed by, connection wit leyer nd-withthe. 1 ers. fully pen th peint 1. does not, quite a h. what maybete med-a (lea-@ 11: ter or locking position but isapprqxiniately and not mor ha l-ddesms e ei ert alr e e n of. t e. pir tat ubve 2-. er. he. ever 8. an -this san mpe tan e ture- Whee th t lever. 16 is,.re1eased, bpth springsfip and 3Q t her to. ive. the door. a rela el qu et Sta or kickofi tion. and a. apidly accelerated elqs ins movement. and ubsequent that When the door isahollt threeeguarterscles slithefspri g le- 36 becomes inert and the spring'35' acts-bait} self to complete the closure of the'door. f v The piston throughout the; entire door opening movementdoes not have a range of movement which carries itiabove the oil-level. I It will be noted here that for movement of the doors from"f ullopen position, the pivotal P01111341 of the rod starts its" cycle of rnove. ment from approximately the highest point of an imaginary are, so that even thoughmo'vement of the doors' from full open position to approximately three-quarters closed position, is relative- 1y long andrapid, the' piston "movement 'at the same time is shortand consequently;at a *slow rate so that there is practically-no-impedance to the door movement at this time;ffHoweve r during the remaining and relatively "short "range movement of the'doors to fully closed position the piston has at'the same time a relatively longer range" and faster rate of movement than at first and thisres'ults'in a'substantially'increa'sed cushioning actionwhich effectually'pre'vents impact and slamming. I During this closing movement of I the door in which case the piston is moved downwardly-in the cylinder, the oil passes'from :thepylinder chamber below the piston, throughfthe hollow valve to chamber 47, thence through the restricted ports to. the cylinder chamber above the piston. 'The oil" at this time cannot pass'from be low the'pistontothe cylinder chamber above the piston by way of the chambers'4fland'45 and ports 46' because the'ballj valve 48 becomes seated thereby to out" off communication between the chambers 47 and 45 an'd'in' which casetheonly path for the eirculation of, oil isfby waypf the restricted ports 50. p M Z Fromkth'e description 'alre' dy given; it will be seen thatfI have provideda regulating means for the cushioning means which is'conceale'd wholly within the cylinder casing so as to be inaccessible by any tool or'other instrumentality'whatsoever from without and in order to regulateLthe-valve the parts 'must be disassembled and the-piston, together with the rod'23 and springs, withdrawn from the cylinder and in such way the valve is made accessible for adjustment by the specially made hand tool. Such construction and arrangement minimizes very greatly the possibility of tampering.

It will be observed in connection with the construction of the cushioning or checking means, that the passages for the oil when flowing in both checking and non-checking directions are formed Wholly by the reciprocating elements consisting of the piston and rod 23 connecting with the door actuating mechanism and this construction permits the use of the plain shell-like cylinder instead of those now commonly used which are provided with complicated and costly constructions to provide a throttled by-pass for the passage of fluid around the piston.

The door actuating mechanism ofthe type herein shown and commonly used for two speed doors as well as the type used for single speed doors is provided with what is called a rule-joint to prevent sagging of the toggle-levers.

According to the present invention the use of the rule-joint is eliminated due to the fact that adjustment is made by the socket 40 so that with the doors in closed position in which case the levers 6, 7 and 8 are in parallelism, the piston 19 is bottomed against the plug 25 and in this manner sagging is effectually prevented.

By adjustment of the socket 40, the lever system with the doors closed may be broken for out of parallelism ina reversedirection to that in whichthey arenorm'ally actuated to'open the doors '(see Fig. 6): for which position thereof the; piston is bottomed against plug'25'so that in effect a locked condition existsso that the doors cannot be opened frornthe landing side. This arrangement is advantageous since it permitsa movement of the levers from the hoistway side, from the broken po'sitionas shown to a position which brings them in parallelism as in Fig. 1 andfor which position thereof they still hold thedoors locked; "Hence/by such movement of the levers and withoutunlocking the-doors; the inter-lock switch mechanism is open-circuited before the doors are unlocked. j

Conversely as the doors are closed, the lever mechanism assumes a'position to lock the'doors and 'a fuithermovement-thereof to lockingposition closes the inter-lock switch mechanism. This arrangement allows a' relat ivel y wide rangeof inovement'to actuate the inter-lock switch before the levers assume an unlocking position and which is not obtainable insimilar devices wherein the levers remain in parallelism with the door closed andthe initial movement thereof toiopen-circuit the inter lock switch throws them slightly out of Para s 1 'ZI Wh'at I'claim is:"- T 1 a door check, a cylinder, a reciprocal piston in said cylinder and means for connecting the same to a door, said piston having ports per-' mitting of the flow-of cushioning liquid in the cylinder from one side of the piston to the other, and a single means adjustably connected with the piston and'ooacting with each of a plurality of said ports; to correspondingly regulate the flow of the liq uid'ftherethrough whilefmaintaining a free fiow 'of fluid around'said last mentioned means from other of "said ports mentfof the piston. 2. In a door check, a cylinder, a reciprocal piston in said cylinder and means for connecting the same tofa door, said'piston having an axial passage and ports communicating 'therewith permitting of the flow of cushioning liquidfrom one sideof the piston to the other, and a valve member common to a plurality of said ports adjustably mounted in said axial passage for regulating the flow of the liquid through said ports While maintaining a free flow of fluid around said valve from other posts in one direction of movement of the piston.

3. In a door check, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder and means for connecting the same to a door, said piston having an axial passage therethrough, valve means within said passage operating to close the passage in the movement of said piston in one direction, said piston being in spaced relation to said valve means and having ports permitting of the flow of cushioning liquid through said passage from one side of the piston to another, and additional valve means adjustably mounted in said passage and cooperating with said ports to regulate the flow of the liquid therethrough independently of said first named valve means.

4. In a door check, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder and means for connecting the same to a door, said piston having an axial passage therethrough, valve means within said passage operating to close the passage in the movement of said piston in one direction, said piston being in spaced relation to said valve means and having ports permitting of the flow of cushioning liquid in one direction of'move- M- b;S PZQ-PQ Q Q QIE n?fiid at: he g answer a ub la attl n mb afiner! at ts p site. nda P rm t, ir-es: fi W: L- h thr u h a a a and means it? asi-i stm ai al e; m b r? h ng satd: a ses? t iqs r tion one ofits ends in cooperative l elation with aid? nqr'ts a 'r itl ag as 19W i- .ta 'id thexgethr-ough. 4

5. In a door check, a cylinden, a pistpr in said cylinden and means for connecting the. same, to i o a i 1315mm hev n's-a tazt ttli s a t her thr ough, valve means wit'hini said passagefopegat ing to olosei the passageinthe movement of said iston in one direetionsaid piston being in. spa ed i l f ai valve ea having .pb mnarmitr ting of the flow of cushioning liqui dth ough said Passage om si Qt the p s n 10. atiqths h i j t saidv assase .e ns r sa itqmx d a W' bular valverrnemberopen at its oppositeiends adjustably engtlged. wi b- 3Q?:F W QlIQbY t of Said valve; m t m b ndsfl anedi la: tive to said: ports to lieglllatg the" o1 liquid therethrough. while permitting, ofv the flee; flow of-liquid, in each. direction through. said passage 6. In. a dooi check, a cylinder, m malag nently ea i nder t. we Q t en s reciprgocal piston in said cylmde and. means 91; connecting the same to a door, said piston hav, ing an axial passage thereth ou ghpyoyided with a threaded-wall. and. opening upon o" exendsof the piston in opposed relation to the sealed end; of

n a i p s) ther in the cylinder, said. p1

prmitt g go t w Qx u hi n-ms? 91- 41 cylinden through said passage tron} one side; of

the" piston "to the other," a tubular: va ve n ei pe p n. at its p si e n s s stab yas si w hs e t d W B ai 'assastgan ing n eans; t gibe: engaged by a tool. insert [into aid qp efi i 1?v s a d n a e it, i h. a t; a l mti sr 9 ad u t, he for regulating the flow of liq th rnngh said rts n y when want t t; s dts sssmtle li r he y inder;

a @9 he k n t a a t sr pmta i o n an, i9 ntlims ns t tq nett: 1 hssams t a 19% ai tt hav xte aimitusiinalk s a e anti; P ra xtt s f tzt t m z tita txt y h rewith n mr i t 'n he flow of cush ma q id; fr m cines d the ha was memb r n t a his QW Q t id lt ush n will) of sfe t ep xa inst 9 5 he lt Qt tq a ht' tsh a d s whe e piston ime an a t ns alve @011- e, di es ei s b @Q PMIQ PP sa s c rne toned yalye onerat'n tox oons't ict the flow o fluid thy u g h go qts w th Which it is. associated :m ia aimss; ee mitt- 'fii iti' hw tt Said,

3- 2 4 a a s-th ta a l n er t. stqn n. s id s li detm a s r v ame, t i l e same to j qt. ain t 2nliav n a ns d l pa sa e ti1e1qeth r ou l' provided with. pol ts in one. end 7 alism 1$ h's a s a ln at,- aa gas es? 9. he fl w" ifiu Q ire-a a mp xnsn P 53 12; ha ar s, qtmmm e eltw 2 1.6 a e m a $5 .9; P9 i ransit nin i u rqu said passage from one side of thip ilsto n to an: qt a a. ndi si tiq al valve: map m t t t t in said passage and cooperating with the. ports in the pison to regulate the flow. of fluid therethmus i n snett i ly aid; fi s mentioned wel men '9? a 699% t lsv lin t Pi a W; in said ssagej. operating to close. the pas: sage ta t ow of; liquid thi onghe said port at z sta ement s i 'is q in, ne direction,

said piston haying ports. cdrnn nnieating with said passage below said valve and perr n itting flow qf; cpshioning liqnidthrough the]. passage. from onesideoi the pistontq another, a tubular valve pp tioned in thepassage spaced relation to th rst mentioned valve and] permitting free at. iqnd throug he' assase! nd n n foli-asij ting saidlast mentioned valvewithinthe ports: O i t 2 5MB Wh ma ntm i fle flow hml sh t e as asa E, H MM LL 

